They Had Names

African Americans in Early Records of Liberty County, Georgia

Bryan County Bill of Sale (McCormick/Rodgers)

Enslaved People Named: Jim, Little Peter, Baynard, Hannibal, David, Atticus, Robert, Dick, Cato, July, Bull, Bob, Mann, Little Peter, Sam, Little Antrum, Big Antrum, Augusteen [alt: Augustine], Ceasar [alt: Caesar], Frankee [alt: Frankie], Morris, August, Jesse, Gabriel, Edward, Edmund, Quaco, Jackey [alt: Jackie], Aeneas, Cicero, Hector, Jacob, Tom, Jack, Kitt, Billy, Frederick, Paris, Mike, Ben, Johnny, Curtis, Cupid, Little Jim, Dingo, Jupiter, Lewis, Eve, Elbert, Beckey, Julia, Louisa, Betsey, Helen, Patsey, Amy, Delia, Rachel, Big Sally, old Sally, Young Sally, Hannah, Suckey, Clarissa, Sylvia, Diana, Black Betty, Yellow Betty, Maria, Peggy, Kizziah [?], Rosey [alt: Rosie], Sophia, Milly [or Miley], Orange, Stephen, Sandy, Oliver, Moses, Nelly, Dicy, Hagar, Adeline, Lucy, George, Richard, Annis, Phillis, Little Sylvia, Allen, Caroline, Mary, Henry, Dennis, Susan, Elisa, Scipio, Elizabeth or Juba, Fanny, Yorick

On March 9, 1837, in Savannah, Pollard McCormick, planter of Bryan County, sold to Doctor Charles W. Rodgers, planter of McIntosh County, for $70,000 certain tracts of land and 100 “slaves,” as follows:

-An 806-acre tract of land in Bryan County conveyed to George Hatton Davidson by James Benjamin Maxwell and his wife Anna Maria Maxwell by deed dated March 4, 1805, and then by George Hatton Davidson to the late David McCormick, father of Pollard McCormick, by deed dated December 22, 18014, bounded in 1805 by “lands of Patterson” to the north and on all other sides by land then owned by William Maxwell and James Benjamin Maxwell, which was a divided third part of the larger Egypt plantation, formerly the property of William Maxwell Sr by whom it was divided into three parts;
-An 1150-acre tract of land in Bryan County that was originally five separate tracts originally granted to John Davis and defined in a deed of conveyance from George Glen Esqr. To Pollard McCormick dated February 5, 1829;
-An 800-acre tract in Bryan County bounded east by land belonging to Pollard McCormick, south by land of William Fox and Pollard McCormick, west by land of William Fox, and north by land of Clark, which was conveyed by Susan Thompson, administratrix of William Thompson to Pollard McCormick by a deed dated May 6, 1835 when McCormick bought it at a administrator’s sale in front of the Liberty County courthouse;
-A 473-acre tract in Bryan County originally granted to the late David McCormick by a grant dated May 11, 1821, bounded east by land sof Pritchard and Clay, southeast by land of David McCormick, and northwest by lands of William Thompson, which might be subject to a survey in favor of Clay that might reduce its size and Pollard McCormick was not to be liable should that happen;
-A 200-acre tract in Bryan County lying north and west of the 1150-acre tract previously described, conveyed by Charles H. Starr to Pollard McCormick in 1830 that was part of land formerly known as Blacksells Land
-“All the following named negro slaves being as before said one hundred in number, to wit, Jim, Little Peter, Baynard, Hannibal, David, Atticus, Robert, Dick, Cato, July, Bull, Bob, Mann, Little Peter, Sam, Little Antrum, Big Antrum, Augusteen [alt: Augustine], Ceasar [alt: Caesar], Frankee [alt: Frankie], Morris, August, Jesse, Gabriel, Edward, Edmund, Quaco, Jackey [alt: Jackie], Aeneas, Cicero, Hector, Jacob, Tom, Jack, Kitt, Billy, Frederick, Paris, Mike, Ben, Johnny, Curtis, Cupid, Little Jim, Dingo, Jupiter, Lewis, Eve, Elbert, Beckey, Julia, Louisa, Betsey, Helen, Patsey, Amy, Delia, Rachel, Big Sally, old Sally, Young Sally, Hannah, Suckey, Clarissa, Sylvia, Diana, Black Betty, Yellow Betty, Maria, Peggy, Kizziah [?], Rosey [alt: Rosie], Sophia, Milly [or Miley], Orange, Stephen, Sandy, Oliver, Moses, Nelly, Dicy, Hagar, Adeline, Lucy, George, Richard, Annis, Phillis, Little Sylvia, Allen, Caroline, Mary, Henry, Dennis, Susan, Elisa, Scipio, Elizabeth or Juba, Fanny and Yorick.”

Witnessed by Joseph W. Jackson. Pollard McCormick signed acknowledging that he had received the $70,000. Recorded in Bryan County Superior Court on November 10, 1837.

Bryan County, Georgia, Deeds & Mortgages, v. E-G 1830-1853, Book E (1830-40), page 274-8; digitized microfilm accessed through catalog, FamilySearch.org (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3Q9M-CS4K-VSGJ-7 : 29 Jul 2024), image 156-8 of 682; microfilm #007899047, citing original records of Bryan County Superior Court.